Saturday, September 3, 2011

Morning Meeting Time

I love the morning meeting time. There are so many skills that can be reviewed within these routines and we all know how much kinders love routines.

I use equity sticks and do not have an assigned "calendar helper" or "weather helper" etc. I find that it keeps my students more engaged if they don't know exactly when they will be called on to help or ask a question. Once I get all the routines up and running I can run through the entire class at least once and sometimes twice.

I'm listing the routines I start with at the beginning of the school year.  I usually try to add or change some of them each month so I'll update with those as I make those changes.


- Month - What month is it? What is the first letter? What is the last letter? How many letters are in the word? I will sometimes sing a song about the months of the year (I like the Dr. Jean Macarena Months)

- Today's Date - A student will count starting at 1 and stop at the Red Sign that says "Today is" If it is early in the month before we count I might ask What do you think the number will be today? How do you know? After counting if it is a two digit number I will ask what will the number like and I make a big deal about them saying the number in the correct order (i.e. 1 and 2 for 12 and not 2 and 1). We will also create a pattern (I always start with AB) So I can ask What shape and color should we put in today? Why? What will we put in tomorrow?

- Day of the Week - We sing a song about the days of the week. (I have a few I use because I can't sing the same thing all school year) What day of the week is it today? What was yesterday? (We also review the number) What will tomorrow be? I have students put in the red tabs.

*September Addition*
10 Frame Date - I start this at the beginning of the month since there are already so many routines to teach the first week or so of school.  Each day we decide how many dots we need to add to make the number (This is always fun to ask on a Monday after the weekend) After another student fixes the number at the bottom a student will use a pointer to count the dots. After counting one way I'll ask Can we can count another way (by 5s of 10s)? How many dots until we have 10? 20?


- Weather - This is pretty straight forward. I have students pick from a chart with velcro although with my ELL students it is fun to stop and discuss the weather on days when it is foggy or there is frost on the ground. I always have a student "read" the weather with a pointer practicing the one to one correspondence.

- Counting the Days of School - I have a student put one more straw into the pocket chart and then two student count all the straws. Then I have students help me figure out how we need to change the numbers and how we need to change the straws. Do we need to make a group of 10?


Then as something new this year (that I read in a Mailbox magazine) was to get a 100 piece puzzle and put a piece on every day. I put it together, wrote numbers 1 to 100 on the back and then each day we add a piece to the puzzle. My students are having so much fun trying to guess what the puzzle will be. (Edit: I just glue the pieces on with regular liquid glue)

- Letter of the Day - Our reading curriculum begins with reviewing the alphabet so right now I ask What letter do you think it will be today? and What sound does this letter make?
I usually take a break to stretch here since they've been sitting a while and they need to move.

- Morning Message - This is one of my favorite parts of the morning meeting. I write mine out on chart paper and each day my star student (who also is my line leader and paper passer for the day) gets to pick the color. I write the same message everyday. I forgot to get a picture but here is what I say...

Dear Class,
Today is (Day of the Week) (Month) (Day), (Year). We can see ____ girls and ____ boys at school. We will go to (special of the day).

Love,
(My Name) and _______

My star student counts the boys and the girls and fills in those numbers. I use this time to review sight words and letters and sounds. Then we use our pointing fingers to read our morning message together.

And then we continue on with the morning. Right now it takes FOREVER to get through this while I train the students how to stand so they aren't blocking everything when using a pointer and where to put the different cards and things. Some of it is getting faster and the students are getting better about understanding that they can't call out all the answer and that they will each get a turn.

17 comments:

  1. How do you hook the puzzle pieces so they stay up on the wall? Do you just use tape or something different? (Tape never seems to stay up in my room for very long due to temps and humidity)

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  2. I love the puzzle pieces idea! I'd like to know the answer to the above question as well. I'd love to do this, but I would need to know how you make them stick up there! Great ideas on Morning Meeting!

    Sarah
    Miss A's Kindergarten

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  3. I'd love to know how you adhere the puzzle pieces too. Velcro, magnet, double sided tape?

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  4. Hi!i am your newest follower. Taught K for 7 years. Just Finished 5 years in 2nd grade. Now going back to K, very executed. Love your tens frame idea. I have the students use a microphone for he weather report. Very fun!

    Sara
    Kinderaffe2ndgraders.blogspot.com

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  5. I used regular liquid glue. Since it was a dollar store puzzle I did not see any reason to make it reusable.

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  6. Just pinned your tens frame idea on Pinterest and your newest follower! Great morning routine!!

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  7. Do you think you could please send me a copy of your blank ten frames?? I was just trying to add this to my calendar. Dglennon@sd44.org
    Thanks!!

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    Replies
    1. I was wondering the same thing: STillson@edvantages.com.

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  8. I just found your blog through pinterest! I love the 10 frame velcro idea...I just might have to do it! Now I am a follower for life! :)
    Michelle

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  9. great morning meeting i am sure gonna try some of your ideas with my class.

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  10. Did you make or buy your weather chart? I really like it and would love to know where to get one. Thanks

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  11. I have done the puzzle before.. IN fact I just finished putting together mine for this year. I have traced the pieces onto the paper and numbered the pieces and the paper and the kids had to find the number on the paper. It helps with counting by 10s and place value. I also velcroed mine in the past but I think I won't this year. I used to let one of the kids take it home on the 100th day or end of the year.

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  12. Found you via Pinterest as well :) God Bless the inventor of Pinterest!
    I've been teaching PreK for 9 years, and this will be my first year teaching K. I'm a little nervous! I generally knew what I needed to add to morning meeting for a full day program and all the standards I could cover, but I needed it broken down for me. Thank you SO much! This helps me immensely. I love the ten frame chart and the puzzle idea. Going to borrow (steal ;) both of those. As part of our curriculum I have to do tally marks as well, so I'll just add that in. Being a private school we also having morning prayer, and pledges (3 of them!) I'm wondering how long your morning meeting takes. I'm guessing 20-25 min at the beginning of the year and then it takes less time once they get the routines down?

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  13. I am also interested in using that same weather chart. Can you tell me where to find it, please?

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  14. Would you be able to send me a copy of the ten frames..

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  15. Do the kids get confused with the date and the number of days of school being different numbers? I am ready with my 10"s board, but I don't want to confuse the kiddles!

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  16. Great routine. I like the ten frame

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